Perfect Night
by KeydaV
Summary: SSHG! A night that started out awful for Severus, becomes perfect with the help of one amazing woman.


"Her...mi....one...."

I could've vomited as I watched the young Mr. Weasley lay there and practically drool all over **my** Hermione. The worst part being that it seemed as if she actually liked it. Only years of self-preservation kept me from dropping the bottle of poisoned mead.

Miss. Brown raced out of the room seemingly heartbroken. Albus said something about love's keen sting and I knew, despite what he said, that you didn't have to be young to feel it. After all, look at me. I'm not nearly young enough or good enough for the only woman I really wanted. She really had no idea of the affect that she had on me. It was difficult enough for me not to race up to her, press her against the wall, and passionately kiss her right then and there. No one knew of the feelings that I harbored for her. Not even Albus.

I raced out of the hospital wing as soon as Albus mentioned that Mr. Weasley was well tended. Oh how I wished to retch just thinking of that red-headed freckled git with the girl I had had so many dreams of. How could I not? She was so amazing; truly a brilliant young witch. The most brilliant witch I had ever met. Beautiful too. I would hate to admit it, but there was a very good chance I was in love with her, even though it was more than likely that she hated me, the evil potions master. Every other Gryffindor loathed and despised me, so why not her too?

I sulked the rest of the way to my chambers in the dungeons. I was just enjoying a glass of Fire Whiskey when there was a faint tap on the door.

Followed by a faint voice, "Um...P-Professor?"

Could it be? Or had I already fallen asleep without noticing?

"Professor? M-May I come in?"

I quickly got up out of my seat on my venom green recliner. I hesitantly opened the door to find Miss Granger standing there, her hands fidgeting behind her back. Quickly I reverted to the snide professor that all students knew me as.

"What could you possibly be doing at my door this late into the night, Miss Granger? I trust it is of the upmost importance."

Her cheeks were a slight pink, "Um....I'm not really sure myself, Professor. I was j-just heading back to my dorm, when for some reason my feet led me h-here."

I could tell that she was especially flustered by now.

"So you didn't even notice when you reached the dungeons? And I supposed your feet also just led you to knock upon my door," I really hated being like this toward my precious Hermione, but I had no choice.

There were tears in her eyes now. Oh how I hated to make her cry.

"I-I'm sorry, Professor. I had m-my head down, and before I knew it I was down here. I had noticed you left pretty quickly from the hospital wing earlier today, and so I decided, while I was down here, to check if anything was wrong."

"Then, I am afraid, you made a useless visit. I am perfectly fine, and if there was something wrong, which there isn't, I would be able to take care of it myself. Besides, why would you want to check up on me?"

"Well, because I wouldn't want anything to be wrong with my favorite teacher, now would I?"

This was certainly a new development...I let my curiosity get the better of me."And why, may I ask, am I you favorite teacher, exactly?"

"Mostly because, I can tell you're not as evil you seem to be," she wasn't stammering anymore. "Especially with helping the Order this whole time and risking your life for all of us."

"You still believe that? Even after the allegations your friend Potter has made?"

"Yes."

I leaned closer to her. She did not back away. I whispered it in her ear. "Even if I were to do something so profoundly evil, even I might not be able to forgive myself?"

She didn't say anything at first and I backed up enough to look her in her eyes. She was blushing profusely, with only a few tears in her eyes. I could tell she didn't really want to look at me, but I was close enough that she couldn't look anywhere else. I really did feel awful for making her feel like this, but I had to protect her, had to keep her away, otherwise she would be hurt a million times worse.

I tried to look cold, like I didn't care, but I had never gotten this close to Hermione before and it affected me more than I would care to admit. It must have shown on my face.

She leaned just a tad closer, so our breath mingled and this time, she whispered the one word I had hoped she would say, just as much as I hoped she wouldn't.

"Yes."

She leaned closer now, so that her lips lightly touched mine, and then backed away a little. Well, that was too much. I admit it.

I cracked. The evil teacher mask finally broke and crumbled away.

My hands came up to cradle her face, and then I leaned in and our mouths were on each others' again, only this time, neither of us backed away. If anything we just got closer, her arms around my neck, mine where I'd wanted them for a long time, around the waist of my precious Hermione.

The kiss became more and more intense, and soon our tongues were fighting for dominance. We began to back up into my chambers when I realized, this wasn't the right way to do things. This felt all wrong. Reluctantly, I pulled back. Her eyes were glazed over and her lips were a bit puffy from all the intense kissing.

"Hermione. I can't do this."

She looked up at me, and I could tell that she understood.

"Yeah...you're right...but Severus," I was only slightly surprised to hear my first name. "What exactly does this mean...you know, for us?"

"It means, Hermione...that we should probably go back to the way things were before."

"Back? But...Severus...this wasn't just some impulse thing...I really like you...I kind of...lied about my feet just leading me here before. I just really wanted to see you, but when you opened the door, I completely forgot what I was going to say before and I just came out with a random excuse..." Her voice drifted off.

I was still stunned from her saying that she liked me. I was probably gaping at her because after a moment she said, "Severus....? Are you all right...?"

I shook my head a little, "Yes, I'm...I'm fine. Just...I thought you liked Mr. Weasley?"

She sighed, "That's what everyone else thinks as well. The only person who knew of my feelings was Harry, and he found out on accident." Her arms had been hanging loosely around my neck, but she suddenly tightened so that we were eye level. "Severus, please don't make me go back to acting like I don't feel this way for you. I really like you. I think I might even love you."

I looked at her and I knew that I wouldn't be able to change her mind. I couldn't help but let one of the corners of my mouth turn up, so I was smirking, but I could tell from the look on her face that she knew, this was the closest thing to a smile I had come in a long time. I wrapped my arms around her waist again.

"Yes, I suppose that would be too difficult to do, even though I've had enough practice over the past 3 years." I smirked again at the look of shock on her face. "Yes, Hermione. 3 years, ever since your third year at Hogwarts." I answered her question before she could ask it.

"But...I never knew...."

"Well, I didn't want you to know, and I really couldn't let you know, I thought you would be disgusted with me."

She smiled. "Of course not, Severus. When I first came to Hogwarts, I thought you were the most handsome man I'd ever seen."

"Really, now? You know, not many people would agree with you on that."

"Well, they're all idiots." I gave her a look.

"I think that might be the rudest thing I've ever heard come out of your mouth, young lady."

"I learned from the best, professor," she retorted.

"Yes, I suppose you did…," I murmured, "Well, it's quite late into the night and young girls, like you, should be in bed. We both have classes in the morning." My arms slinked back to my sides slowly.

"Severus, I was wondering…could I sleep with you here? I mean, I know you have a fire place, so I could just floo back to my dorm room in the morning before everyone else woke up." Her eyes were just begging me to say yes.

I chuckled ever so slightly at her perseverance. "I suppose it would be alright for tonight."

She instantly brightened up. I showed her where the bathroom was and gave her one of my large shirts so she wouldn't have to sleep in her uniform. While she changed in the bathroom I changed down into a large shirt and some comfortable pants to sleep in.

When she came out of the bathroom I couldn't help but stare at how just plain sexy she looked. She stood there, a little flustered under my gaze, wondering where she would sleep. I patted a spot next to me on my bed. She smiled shyly and climbed into bed under the covers while I pulled the covers over myself as well.

I pulled her to me. She fit perfectly in my arms, like we were made for each other. As we both drifted off to sleep, I didn't think about the struggles we would have in the future. I didn't think about the fact that there was a good chance that one of us would die in the war. I especially didn't think about the fact that if I died, **my** Hermione would probably turn to that git for comfort. All I could think about was the woman of my dreams laying in my arms. All I could think about was how utterly perfect this night turned out to be.


End file.
